EGUSD’s 2012-2013 Staffing

In planning for the 2012-2013 school year, Superintendent Steven M. Ladd, Ed.D. has recommended, and the Board supports, that EGUSD minimize, as much as possible, staff reductions for the coming year. EGUSD will use the district’s ending fund balance to keep people in place, pending the upcoming November election. For 2012-2013, the district will staff at negotiated certificated contract levels for schools. As required for the budget process, this funding model is based on the Governor’s January proposal for public schools, the recognition of a projected decline in the district’s student enrollment, and the impact of the state’s 2011-2012 mid-year trigger cuts to school districts.

There will be no additional reductions for classified staff for the coming 2012-2013 school year. Please note that for those certificated and classified employees who are annually released pending confirmation of grant and categorical funding, this process will remain in place. EGUSD’s intent is to reinstate these positions once the district has been notified that the funding is secure for 2012-2013.

In addition, the 2012-2013 budget has been built to reflect that all furlough days and salary rollbacks will end for all employees as of July 1, 2012. Those staff members who are scheduled to move forward on the salary/column schedule will do so in accordance with negotiated agreements.

An overview of the projected 2012-2013 certificated staffing is as follows:

Staffing ratios in 7-12 will remain the same as this year

Counselors will remain at the current staffing level (66 FTE)

Librarians will remain at the current staffing level (19 FTE)

Class sizes in K-3 will be 28:1

Class sizes in 4-6 will be 26:1

Computer resource teachers will remain in place

As indicated above, this year’s budget is further complicated by a projected loss of enrollment of about 385 students for the 2012-2013 school year. This is the combined result of the uncertainty that surrounds transitional kindergarten and a decline in enrollment as the result of the state economy and the housing market.

With regard to the required budget process, the Sacramento County Office of Education is mandating that school districts submit a three-year budget projection that reflects the failure of the Governor’s tax initiative. Should the tax initiative fail, districts will face a $370 per ADA reduction, plus an additional $87 per ADA loss due to the state’s elimination of transportation funding. If the tax measure passes, EGUSD will be in a much better place but will still incur an $87 per ADA loss in funding due to the elimination of state transportation revenue. With either a pass or fail election scenario, the district will still have to address an ongoing structural deficit the size of which, will hopefully be tempered by a positive outcome of the November election. In order to reduce the impact of state cuts to public education, the district’s large budget deficit and the increased cost of health care, the district is continuing to seek negotiated solutions with each of the district’s bargaining groups. Following the outcome of the election and the resulting Governor’s 2013 January budget proposal, the district will review the new information and revise our 2013-2014 budget based on the information provided at that time.

EGUSD staff are tracking the tax initiatives that may be on the ballot in November. There is much speculation right now regarding the watering down effect that multiple initiatives may have on an election’s outcome. As more information becomes available, EGUSD will continue to update staff and our community through the district’s Budget Watch webpage.